HUNTSVILLE, AL -- The City of Huntsville began taking applications this week for its popular summer internship program.

A maximum of 40 college students will be invited to work eight-week unpaid internships in various city departments, including the mayor's office, engineering, community development and planning.

The program, which is open to students and recent college graduates 19 and older, runs from May 31 until July 29.

"It's a great opportunity for interested students to truly learn about municipal government and the wheels that keep it turning," Chief of Staff Trent Willis said Tuesday. "The internship is specifically designed to give them real-life, applicable experience."

About 60 interns have graduated from the program since Mayor Tommy Battle launched it in the summer of 2009.

While Alabama, Auburn, Alabama A&M and UAH have supplied the majority of past interns, Willis said students have come from as far away as Harvard and Jomo Kenyatta University in Kenya.

James Vandiver, a UAH student who interned in the planning department last summer, is now a paid adviser to the city on retail development. Vandiver writes the Huntsville Development News blog.